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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91363	A little cabinet richly stored with all sorts of heavenly varieties, and soul-reviving influences. Wherein there is a remedy for every malady, viz. milk for babes, and meat for strong men, and the ready way for both to obtain and retain assurance of salvation: being an abridgement of the sum and substance of the true Christian religion; wherein the cause of our salvation, the way, the guide, the rule, the evidence, the seals, &c. and the connection of these points together, and dependancy of them one upon another: this I have endeavoured to do orderly, exactly, methodically, with much plainness and clearness. / By Robert Purnell.	Purnell, Robert, d. 1666.	1657 (1657)	Wing P4237; Thomason E1575_1; ESTC R209217	254,040	517

That he would suffer and satisfie personally and perfectly for the sins of men Luke 24. 46. Hos 13. 14. 1 Pet. 2. 24. 5. That he would bring himself and all those given him by his Father unto glory Heb. 10. 14. Joh. 14. 4 9. Iohn 10. 18. The word of God doth contain the Articles of this Covenant those that desire further satisfaction search the Scriptures wherein you shall find that Christ did willingly undertake this work Heb. 10. 7 9. and did faithfully discharge it Heb. 10. 5 6 7 c. so our reconciliation was wrought by the Son Isa 61. 1. Iohn 1. 3. Iohn 5. 36 37. Col. 1. 16 17. Hebr. 1. 3. Iohn 5. 17. 3. 17. and sealed by the Holy-Ghost Ephes 1. 13. 4. 30. The third thing to be enquired into is when this Covenant was made with us THere be three set times wherein God may be said to make this Covenant viz. 1. Immediately after the fall of Adam Gen. 3. 15. the seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head these few words comprehended the sum of all Law and Gospel and the Covenant therein contained Tit. 1. 2. in hope of eternall life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began 2 Tim. 1. 9. who hath saved us and called us with an holy c●lling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Iesus before the world began 2. This Covenant in a sense may be said to be made with us at the death of Christ because thereby all the benefits were merited and procured for us so this Covenant came to be confirmed by the death of the Testator Heb. 9. 16 17 18. Hence his blood is called the blood of the everlasting Covenant Heb. 11. 20. And the blood of the New Testament Mat. 26. 28. 3. This Covenant may be said to be made with us when God doth confirm upon us the benefits which are therein promised which are many I will instance but in three 1. There is the matter and blessing of the Covenant on Gods part in these words I will be their God and they shall be my people Ier. 31. 33. 2. In this Covenant Christ doth first give us grace imputed and then grace inherit all the benefits of the Covenant are the fruits and effects of Christs death 3. There is also the promise that God will work out the manifestation by which man shall see his interest in this Covenant and his right and title to all the blessings thereof Now if we would yet farther know when this Covenant was made with Christ for us let us weigh that text Ephes 1. 4. We are chosen in him before the foundation of the world Now if Election be before the foundation of the world sure it is then also by the same ground the Covenant or promise was made before the foundation of the world for the word doth prove the one as well as the other these promises were made first to Christ on our behalf before they are made to us because the whole work of our redemption and salvation was transacted between the Father and the Son before the foundation of the world and is afterwards revealed to us in due time as is evident Tit. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 19. The fourth thing to be enquired into is whether there be any conditions of this Covenant on our part and if so what those conditions are WHat this Covenant is with whom it was made and when it was made hath been laid down before now it follows in order to examine whether there be any conditions on our part and for answer unto which let me give my judgement viz. In this Covenant the Lord doth bequeath grace and glory on no other condition but the death of the Testator that is Christ Jesus as the first Covenant was built upon the righteousness of the first Adam So the second is built upon the righteousness of the second Adam and it will plainly appear in this Covenant of grace that there is no condition on our part to entitle us to the blessing of it it is true to our head Christ this Covenant was conditionall though to us it is free to him it was a Covenant of works hence Christ is called the Mediator Witness and Surety of this new Covenant and that this Covenant is without conditions on our part will appear more fully by these ensuing reasons 1. Because a Covenant of free grace cannot stand with conditions for if it had conditions it would not be of grace for grace is not grace if it be not every way free Rom. 11. 6. and if by grace then it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace c. 2. Because to give a thing freely and condiotinally are contradictions and to say there is conditions as to us is to ecclipse the grace of God and to open a door for vain man to boast So that the whole glory of our justific●tion and salvation ought to be given to the grace of God and to the merits of Christ If either of them did depend and were obtained by works and conditions performed by us it would not be of grace 3. Because that justification by grace without conditions on our part is the life and soul of the Gospel Galatians 1. 6 7. I marvell that you are moved from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel which is not another but there be some that would pervert the Gospel how can there be another Gospel and yet not another Gospel First it is not another because it is not possible there should be two Gospels yet another Gospel because men did turn it aside in point of justification 4. Because if any qualification or grace in us be a condition Faith must needs be the condition or one of the conditions but if faith should be the condition of the Covenant of grace then it differeth nothing from the Covenant of works for it is as hard a thing for a man to believe as it is to keep the whole Law Again Faith cannot be the condition of the Covenant because we obtain it by the same means we obtain all other good things else to wit by the righteousness of Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1. 1. Ephes 1. 3. Rom. 8. 32. Ezek. 36. 25. Jer. 31. 31 34. Again Faith and repentance justification and sanctification are things purchased by Christ for us and freely given to us and are the effects and consequences of the Covenant as doth appear Ezek. 36. 27. Jer. 32. 38 39 40. Hos 2. 18 19 20. It is true Faith and repentance are means of our enjoying the comforts of the Covenant but not the conditions flowing out of the nature of the Covenant for every means is not a condition though every condition be a means so that we are not justified by faith as the condition of the Covenant but organically and instrumentall So that all the blessings

3. Ye are clean through the word that I have spoken to you now the word doth purifie these severall wayes 1. As an antidote against sins Psal 119. 11. Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee 2. As a lamp discovering the spot Rom. 7. 7. I had not known sin but by the Law 3. As a star conducting to Christ the fountain of purifying 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. Zach. 13. 1. 4. As a rule according to which we are heedfully to order our conversation Psal 119. 9. wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way but by taking heed thereto according to thy word 5. As a motive in the precious promises of it 2 Cor. 7. 1. Having therefore these promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of ●●esh and spirit The ninth thing to be considered of is this wherein doth the Covenant of grace and the Covenant of works differ FOR answer hereunto consider the vast difference between the Law and the Gospel viz. the Law affords not a drop of grace it bestows nothing freely the language of the Law is do thou and live if not die no work no wages but in the Gospel the yoak of personall obedience is translated from believers to their surety there is nothing for them to pay all that they have to do is to hunger and feed their happiness is free in respect of themselves though costly to Christ who by his merits hath purchased for them whatsoever they would obtain and by his Spirit worketh in them whatsoever he requires The First Covenant of works is old the Covenant of grace is new the first is the Law of the letter the second is the Law of the Spirit the first is a Law of death the second is a Law of life the first was wounding the second is healing the first a naturall law the second a spirituall law the first a law of types the second a law of substance the first was to be done away the second is to continue the first a Covenant of earthly blessings the second a Covenant of spirituall blessings the first was to stand for a time the second was to stand for ever Again this Covenant of grace doth differ from the Covenant of works in the universality and large extent of it the first Covenant requires a righteousness in us the second doth give and accept of a righteousness which is anothers and imputed to us It is true that Religion for the substance thereof was ever one and the same and unchangeable as appears Heb. 13. 8. Ephes 4. 5. Jude 3. Acts 26. 22. Tit. 1. 1 2. And so the word of God written by Moses and the Prophets did contain whatsoeever was needfull for the salvation of the Israelites Deut. 4. 2. 12. 32. Psal 1. 2. Mal. 4. 4. Hos 8. 12. Luk. 10. 26. But the in New Testament our Saviour made known unto his Disciples the last and full will or Covenant of his heavenly father Iohn 14. 26. 15. 15. 16. 13. 1. 18. and what they received of him they faithfully preached unto the world Acts 20. 27. 1 Cor. 15. 1 2. 3. Gal. 1. 8. 1 John 1. 3. And the sum of what they preached is committed to writing and left upon record for our learning Act. 1. 1 2. Joh. 20. 31. 1 Joh. 5. 13. Act. 8. 5. 1 Cor. 2. 2. Rom. 10. 8 9 10. The difference between the Covenant of works and the Covenant of grace may be reduced to these three heads 1. The first was a ministration of the letter a naked Commandment carrying with it no aptness disposition or ability to keep it 2. It breeds enmity and fear looking on God as a hard taskmaster and so fils the soul full of terrours 3. It is a ministration of death namely by the curse to them that keep it not But the Covenant of grace is a ministration of the Spirit requiring no more then what it promiseth to give In a word it is a ministration of the Spirit of love freedom and righteousness and of life for that it shews the guilty a righteousness to satisfie the Law and the way to obtain a Pardon 4. The first Covenant was made altogether upon condition on both sides the condition on Gods part was they should live the condition on mans part was he must do this but in this Covenant there is not any condition I mean in the Covenant of grace True it is could we justifie the Law by keeping it the Law would justifie us in and by that obedience to it But now the Law is become weak and unable to justifie any man though powerfull and strong enough to condemn every man 5. In the Covenant of works a man is left to stand by his own strength but in the Covenant of Grace God undertakes to keep us through faith to salvation 6. In the Covenant of works Gods highest end is the glorifying of his Justice and in the Covenant of grace it is to glorifie his grace The voice of the Covenant of works is like the first speech of Nathan to David Thou art the man the voice of the Covenant of grace is like his after-speech The Lord hath put away thy sin the voice of the Covenant of works is the soul that sinneth shall die Ezek. 18. In the Covenant of grace he saith Ezek. 33. 11. As I live saith the Lord I desire not the death of a sinner 7. There is help for such as break the Covenant of works but no help for such as make void the Covenant of grace The tenth thing to be enquired into is this what is Gods oraer and method that he generally makes us of to bring his people into the bond of the Covenant and to bestow the blessings of the Covenant upon them FIrst in the making up of the Covenant between God and us God is the first with us he is the first mover he begins with us before we begin with him we should never seek to be in Covenant with him if he did not first allure us and draw us invite us and intreat us Ezek. 20. 37. I will bring them saith the Lord into the bond of the Covenant it is the Lord that brings them they do not first offer themselves 1. God prepares his own way for entring into Covenant with us and then he finisheth the work and in this preparation he doth these three things 1. He breaks us of our Covenant with hell and death and makes us sensible of our undone estates makes us to see that we are without God without Christ without hope that we are not under mercy that we are not as yet of his people Eph. 2. 1 Pet. 2. 2. He opens to us his mind and will shewing himself willing to receive us to grace and to enter into a new Covenant with us yet again to take us to be his people and he to be our God and so he goes into the streets and open places as

son and said Father I am not worthy to be called thy son 3. We should keep our Iustification distinct and not go to reason out our Iustification from our Sanctification but we should look to Jesus Christ the Rock upon which a Christian should build his soul 4. We should alwaies keep up and keep distinct our Justification as the spring and way to Sanctification for the fruit of Justification is peace joy boldness and strength to do the will of God all this doth come in from Jesus Christ in a way of believing and not from Sanctification for as we are not to conclude our Justification from any effects of Sanctification so we are not to conclude that apprehension of Justification to be from God which takes us off the means waies and rules of Sanctification therefore although they be distinct in these four forementioned heads yet they agree and go hand in hand in these ensuing things 1. They go together in these he that is justified doth as earnestly desire Sanctification and holiness as he doth heaven and happiness 2. He doth as well desire that is justified by Christs righteousness to chuse Christ as a King to rule over him as a Saviour to save him 3. They go together in this respect also a soul is not content with the apprehension of his Justification unless he finds some measure of and growing up in Sanctification 4. They go together as doth appear by this the man that is truly justified he doth make as much care and conscience to practise holiness as ever he did to get Christs righteousness 5. They go together in this respect also every discovery of Christ and his righteousness to the soul for Justification doth fit and heighten the souls resolution for Sanctification and holiness 6. A man may be said to keep his Justification and Sanctification together when he doth trust his soul in the hands of Christ for salvation and makes it his work to die to the world and to honour Christ in the world 7. When a soul hath found out Christ for his Justification he doth make it his great business to be conformable to him in his conversation Phil. 3. 10. being made conformable to his death Now if any ask 1. Why a soul should keep his Justification and Sanctification distinct in some things 2. Why in other things we should keep them together 3. How a soul should come to keep his Justification and Sanctification distinct and yet to keep them together Then I answer 1. Why a soul should keep them distinct to which I answer 1. Because the Spirit of God is distinct in laying down these things in the Scrptures viz. in exhorting us to come without money and without price and if we walk in darkness and see no light yet to trust and stay our selves upon him because he doth love us freely and pardon us graciously and is found of them that sought him not 2. Because otherwise our souls can never be truly established rooted and built up in him Isaiah 7. 9. Eph. 3. 17. Col. 2. 7. he that doth mix Justification and Sanctification together can never be established 3. We should keep them distinct that so we might give God the whole glory of our Justification and salvation Quest 2. Is why we should in other things keep them together Answ 1. That we might glorifie God before the world its true a soul doth most glorifie God by believing but he doth more glorifie God before the world by his holy conversation Matth. 5. 16. John 15. 8. 2. Because holiness and sanctification is the way in which the Lords people shall be saved I do not say that this is the way by which but the way in which salvation is manifested 2 Pet. 1. 10 11. 3. The next reason why we should keep them together is because thereby we shall stop the mouths of wicked men 1 Peter 2. 15. For so is the will of God that with well doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men 4. We are to keep them together because this is the will of God that all that do profess his name and lay hold on his Mercy should live holily 1 Thes 4. 3 4. For this is the will of God even your sanctification that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and holiness 5. We are to keep up Sanctification as well as Justification because thereby the Lord will stop the mouths of wicked men at the last day saying Come ye blessed of my Father you have done thus and thus for me and mine Matth. 25. 34 35. Quest 3. Is how should a soul come to keep his Justification and Sanctification distinct and yet keep them together Answ 1. Meditate much on the free love of God when we were in our blood he was in his love freely to love us and graciously to justifie us and then in the second place the soul will say within it self shall I sin against him that hath freely justified me No no how can I do this great wickedness and sin against God 2. Dwell much upon those engagements that God hath put upon us in the many great things that he hath done for us Titus 3. 3 4 5. For we our selves were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hateful and hating one another but after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done c. Ver. 8. These things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works 3. Think much upon the littleness of our work or services we can do to him and the unspeakable things that he hath done and promised to do for us what a disproportion there is between his mercy to us and our obedience to him the one is like the Ocean Sea the other as a grain of mustard-seed the one infinite the other finite the one as a great mountain that fills the whole earth the other as a Pepper-corn 4. Dwell much upon the great difference there will be between those that make it their work to keep up their Faith and obedience and those that do not at the coming of Christ the one he will bless and make them sit down to meat and will serve them see that blessed place Luke 12. 37. The other hath neither Justification nor Sanctification the Lord will cut them asunder and will appoint them their portion with unbelievers Luke 12. 46. O what remains then but that we labour to distinguish between our Justification and our personal Sanctification The first is quite out of our selves consisting in the imputation of Christs righteousness inherent in him who sits at the right hand of God far above the reach and sphear of sins activity and is therefore perfect and compleat yea the foundation of all blessedness the latter is in our selves and therefore weak and

to 37. If my children forsake my Law and walk not in my judgements If they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandments then will I visit their transgressions with the Rod and their iniquities with stripes Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from them nor suffer my faithfulness to fail my Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips c. He that lives by Faith in infirmities may be thus characterized 1. He will hear Christ and not the voice of a stranger John 10. 27. 5. 2. He is not offended at whatsoever Christ requires Mat. 11. 6. 3. The revealed will of God in the Scriptures is his Rule and not the light within nor the traditions of men he walketh more by rule then example 4. He will trust God and relye upon his word he eyeth the promise and saith surely in the Lord have I righteousness and strength Isa 45. 24. Jude 3. Act. 20. 31 c. 5. He will hold fast to and earnestly contend for the truth and Faith once delivered to the Saints 6. His sin doth not sink him into despair though he may have many doubtings he will say in the mid ● of all his imperfections I have as much of the love of God acceptation in Christ as the best Saint ever had though I come short in the manifestation my state is as happy as any of theirs Heb. 3. 17. Although the Figtree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be in the vine c. Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation c. What shall I say more my body shall be raised 1 Thes 4. 16. And I shall have a spiritual body 1 Cor. 15. 43 44. I shall have a glorified body Phil. 3. 21. The Sun in the firmament is not so glorious as my body shall be because the Sun is but a natural body I shall have fulness of knowledge Ephes 3. 18. and fulness of joy and pleasure Psal 16. 11. No misery hunger cold or nakedness pain grief nor weariness shall attend me but I shall rest without labour 2 Thes 1. 7. And I shall have in rest tranquility and in tranquility contentment in contentment joy in joy variety in variety security in security a glorious eternity then shall I be like him and see him as he is 1 John 3. 1 2. compared with 1 Cor. 13. 12. To close up all that I shall speak of this grace of Faith which is of so great concernment give me leave to answer two considerable questions that do arise in the hearts of many 1. What conditions or qualifications must or ought I to find in my felf before I believe or lay hold on a promise 2. If to believe in God is of so great concernment both to being and well being why do so few men and womens sons and daughters believe 1. Quere is What conditions and qualifications must or ought a man to find in himself before he believeth or lay hold of the precious promises in the Scriptures of Truth Answ I know no qualifications or conditions required of us before we come unless these be conditions and qualifications tob uy milk and wine without mony and without price and to take of the water of life freely Isa 55. 1 2 3. Rev. 22. 17. Isa 43. 25. Isa 45. 22. And this I say there will be found in all that do believe without which they will not come to Christ I do not say without which they should not come 1. A sense of his lost condition and great need of a Saviour the whole need not a Physitian saith our Lord Christ 2. There will be poverty of Spirit which doth spring or arise from these two things First that a soul hath a sense that it hath nothing that good is in it self Secondly that he can do nothing to procure good to himself 3. There will be an inquiring after a remedy c. Sirs what shall I do to be saved Lord what wilt thou have me to do 4. There will be a willingness to part with any thing for Christ that stood in opposition to him that so he may enjoy him 5. There will be a resolution and purpose of heart to lead a new life more holily spiritually and heavenly for time to come 6. A resolution to wait upon God in his wayes and to lie at the Pool of Bethesda Now these and the like things are not required as that without which we should not come to Christ but these things will be in him that doth come without which he cometh not 2. Quere What is the reason why so few do believe in God seeing the way is so opened and cleared and the stumbling blocks removed Answ 1. Ground or reason why believing on the Son of God is so hard is because every thing in man doth fight against it hence it doth come to pass that believing doth require the greatest piece of self-denyal in them for a man to break the Law and yet to be freed from the curse of the Law this reason cannot comprehend 2. Ground why so few believe is either because they think they do believe already and yet do not or else they would believe but say they cannot First they think they do believe and yet do not and these are of three sorts First ignorant persons now ignorance and unbelief they alwayes go togegether we read of Paul that did things before he was converted in ignorance and unbelief Jer. 4. 22. My people are foolish they know not me to do good they have no knowledge Secondly those that boast and glory in their own righteousness these have no faith in Jesus Christ and his righteousness The third sort of people that do think they do believe and do not are prophane persons and these be of two sorts men of prophane spirits and men of prophane lives prophane practices 3. Ground or reason why so few believe is because it is the great design of Satan either to hinder or overthrow our Faith because believing doth give the greatest glory to God and brings in the greatest good to us First it doth give the greatest glory to God of any work in the world it doth give glory to his truth and faithfulness and power and mindfulness So it doth give glory to Jesus Christ to his name power and God-head Offices and attributes by doubting we dishonour him frustrate the grace of God make the death of Christ of none effect 4. Reason why believing is so hard a work is because of the multitude of false Doctrines that there are in the world that a man scarce knows who to hear or whom to believe c. Of Repentance unto life REpentance and faith are two inseparable companions where the one doth dwell the other will lodge in the Covenant of grace there is place for repentance and mercy for the penitent Let us first enquire what true repentance is viz. Some say repentance is

in himself Joh. 16. Col. 1. 19. all other Angels and Saints have but their measure some more some less according to the measure of the gift of Christ Eph. 4. 7. but Christ hath received the Spirit not by measure but in the fulness of it Joh. 3. 34. Now whatsoever fulness of grace there is in Christ he hath received not for himself but for us that he might communicate unto us and we might receive from him Psal 68. 18. it is said he received gifts for men not for himself but for men that we might receive from him and thence it is that in Joh. 1. 16. of his fulness we receive grace for grace his wisdom is to make us wise his meekness and patience is to make us meek and patient and Christ is faithfull to distribute to us all such graces that he hath received for us he is faithfull in all his house what shall I say more in this Covenant God unbosoms himself unto us and shines forth upon us and there is now and then a sweet entercourse of love between him and thy soul in the blessing of this Covenant there is remedy for every malady promises sutable to every condition for being and well being for this life and that which is to come I omit here to mention such blessings of the Covenant as I might and the nature of the same having spoken something to it inthe former part of this Treatise c. The twelfth thing to be enquired into is this viz. notwithstanding this blessed Covenant of grace contained in the Gospel whether most men and women in the world be not under a Covenant of works THE Covenant of works remains in full force and vertue to all unbelievers Rom. 10. 4. For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to none but to those that believe Oh did we but consider the misery of all such as are under the Law it might awaken us He that is under the Law is under a Covenant of works and they must come and stand before God the Judge of all and have their sins set in order before him and the Law pass sentence of death upon them and their own consciences terrifying them and there shall be none to plead for them or to stand betwixt Gods warth and them but they shall be left to themselves to die and perish in their sins this Covenant hath no Mediator for then Christ hath not a word to speak for them he telssuch John 17. 19. he prayeth not for them he pleads only for them that fly to grace and take hold of that Covenant but as for all others they have God against them the Law against them they have all creatures to accuse them and to testifie against them but have no Christ no Mediator to appear for them and there shall be no grace shewed but strict Justice without any mercy Oh that such would bethink themselves what a God they must meet withall even a just God a God of judgement a God of vengeance that will not spare their misdeeds what ever Justice can require of them they must satisfie to the uttmost farthing there will be Justice without mercy Oh when nothing but Justice shall judge you who can stand what flesh may abide it Psal 78. 5. A wicked man hath no true right before God unto the good things of this life for if any say they have I ask by what Covenant is it by the Covenant of works then they must fulfill it which they do not nor can do is it then by the Covenant of grace but they are not within that Covenant they are within the Covenant of works but cannot fulfill it they are without the Covenant of grace and therefore they can claim nothing by it again faith and holiness can no more be separated then light can be separated from the Sun Such as lay claim to the Covenant of grace and yet live loosly carnally unconscionably they do but deceive themselves they may be in Covenant with hell and death but have no part in the Covenant of life and peace John 5. 45. Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father ther● is one that accuseth you even Moses in whom you trust the Law in which you trust will condemn you if ye continue not in every thing written therein and yield a perfect personall perpetuall obedience thereto it will accuse you to the Father Of Justification by Grace THE question is not so much about the time and terms and matter of our Justification but how we are made righteous in the sight of God which the Scriptures do affirm to be by the perfect righteousness of Christ alone which God doth impute to all his seed freely without works and conditions performed by us 1. Consider if the righteousness by which we are justified be a perfect righteousness then we are not justified by our obedience to Gospel precepts but the righteousness whereby we are justified is a perfect righteousness which is the righteousness of Christ alone Heb. 1. 8. Mat. 6. 33. Rom. 4. 6. and everlasting righteousness Psal 119. 142. Psal 22. 31. 35. 28. that righteousness which justifieth us before God as it is not ours so it is not in us But as it is Christs righteousness so it is in him In me you shall have righteousness and strength Psal 71. 15 16 19 24. I will make mention of thy righteousness even of thine only Justice and mercy do both meet in this Justification Justice in that he will not justifie a sinner without a perfect righteousness and yet mercy in that he will accept him for such a righteousness that is neither in him nor done by him but by his surety for him 2. Consider the Apostles all along were very carefullto keep this Doctrine of Justification by grace distinct from all other things they all along do oppose the Law and grace works and faith our righteousness and Christs righteousness teaching us thereby how needfull it is they should be kept asunder Justification by grace hath been and will be the bone of contention till the next coming of Christ why so because learning cannot reach it naturall wisdom is confounded at it evill Angels do not know it most men do persecute it as being bereaved of the knowledge of it or else corrupt in the simplicity of it The Papists say if we be freely justified by grace we need not do any good works and if we cannot fall from grace we need not fear to commit sin And they hold that we are not justified by the righteousness of Christ imputed but by the righteousness of Christ inherent in us and righteous actions done by us 3. Consider we should not be justified by grace if any condition were required of us in order to our justification for the condition whensoever persormed makes the Covenant a due debt then justification should not be of grace but of debt contrary to the express words of Scripture Rom. 4. 4.

should you make such a matter of sin by this Satan doth cause many a soul to turn the grace of God into wantonness but for a remedy herein consider that God is as just as he is merciful as the Scripture doth speak him out to be a very merciful God so they speak him forth to be a very just God witness his casting the Angels out of heaven his turning Father Adam out of Paradise his drowning the old world his raining fire out of heaven upon Sodom It is true his general mercy is over all his works but his special mercy is confined to those that he hath divinely qualified Exod. 34. 6 7. Psal 32. 10. Psal 103. 11. 8. This Doctrine is the most hardest thing in the world to be learned it being wholly in every part of it supernatural and all things in us do fight against it To do well and have well is natural but to believe and have well is supernatural man remaining in his natural state is altogether unable to receive and comprehend those glorious and gracious mysteries of being righteous by anothers righteousness and of being saved by anothers suffering all men both Jews and Gentiles are set upon seeking life and happiness by their own doings and performances for although man did fearfully fall by transgression yet he retained certain foot-steps marks and impressions of that moral and eternal Law of righteousness which was at first engraven in his heart by the finger of God Almighty So that although as to everlasting felicity man is dark and dead being under the power of the God of this world whose Kingdom is a Kingdom of darkness who rules in men by ignorance yet there remains in every man so much light as doth lead him to the knowledge of a God but when the Lord doth reveal this mysterie of his grace by his Spirit to and in man then he doth over and above that common work of the Spirit by which he enlighteneth every man I say Christ doth give unto those given him of the Father the mind and understanding to know him and to receive him and to lay hold on him for life and salvation Now in this sense the natural man perceiveth not the things of God 1 Cor. 2. 14. neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 1. 21. The world by wisdom knoweth not God c. Now this Doctrine of grace is the hardest thing in the world to be learned because we are naturally apt to hunger and thirst after a righteousness of our own but it must be renounced I confess this self denyal is very hard Oh how hard is it for the soul to be taken off its own bottom of works and qualifications and to strip them of all that is their own ye take away their lives they must and will have something some humbleness and brokenness of heart some tears some good works or abilities or good heart as many say and this doth argue as yet thou art not pluckt off thine own stock and therefore art not planted into Christ thou art ignorant of the righteousness of God and so goest about to establish thine own righteousness consider consider our works make us not the better before God neither the more beloved of the Lord but declare us to be what we are made by God and so are profitable to men but not to God But what saith the Scripture now to him that worketh is not the reward reckoned of grace but of debt but to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is accounted for righteousness Rom. 4. 2 3 4 5. We are saved not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace 2 Tim. 1. 9. Again we read Rom. 5. 10. When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Isa 43. 25. I will blot out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins a new heart also will I give thee Ezek. 36. 26 27 31. Again Isa 57. 18. I have seen his waies and will heal him Isa 44. 22. I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions return to me for I have redeemed thee Ezek. 16. 6 8. When thou wast polluted in thy own blood I said unto thee live when thou wast in thy blood thy time was the time of love and I covered thy nakedness Now consider the Lord doth this that he might have all the glory of our Election Vocation Justification Sanctification and Salvation See Eph. 1. 6. Jer. 9. 24. Rom. 3. 9. Luke 1. 74. 1 Cor. 4. 7. Iames 1. 17. And as this Doctrine is the hardest thing in the whole world to be learned so it is the hardest work where it is not learned to obey God in any of his commands to instance in one for all God doth command men every where to repent but is not repentance a mighty work a difficult work a work that is above our power Surely there is no power below that power that raised Christ from the dead and that made the world that can break the heart of a sinner or turn his heart It is as easie to turn the stream that runs swiftly forward and make it run as swiftly backward as it is to repent indeed and to melt thine own heart it is as easie to turn a flint into flesh as to turn thine own heart to the Lord it is as easie to raise the dead and make a world as to repent it is a flower that grows not in natures Garden Jer. 13. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evill But this work that is so difficult and so hard above our reach is easily wrought in the soul when God gives it to see his grace and love in giving Christ Act. 5. 31. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins Gal. 1. 8. If I or any other or an Angel of heaven preach any other Gospel then this that we have preached unto you then salvation and participation of Christ by grace and free gift for that is the Doctrine he had established before and through the whole Epistle to the Galathians What shall I say more there is nothing in men though never so vile that can debar a person or a people from a part in this Christ some will not have Christ except they can pay for him others dare not meddle with Christ because they are so vile and sinful and therefore they seek to get an inherent righteousness they run to their qualifications to their prayers to their tears to their humiliations and sorrows and reformations and will not come at Christ untill they have spent all upon these Physitians and are sensible with the woman in the Gospel that they are nothing the better but the worse then they begin